The guardians of Havel's fortress
by IamAdam
Summary: Six brave souls are tasked by the Church of Thorolund to guard Havel's fortress, an ancient passage to the Land of Lords. Will they remain faithful to this holy quest? Or will they perish? (My first story ever, but I intend to continue with it!)
1. Mission briefing

_By the power invested in me by the Church ofTthe Way of White, I General Rusq of Thorolund, hereby orders elite knight Viria to travel to Havel's fortress (commonly known as sunbeam crossing) with whatever army available to her (be they soldiers or mercenaries) and to claim the fortress as property of the church._

_Once control of the fortress has been seized, elite knight Viria is to open the envelope containing further details about her mission._

* * *

_Elite knight Viria, daughter of Dinostra, and faithful follower of The Way of White. You are hereby tasked with a holy mission, entrusted to you and your subordinates by the Church. The fortress you now occupy is the last remaining western accuss point to The Land of Lords._

_In ancient times, Bishop Havel was tasked by the Gods of Anor Londo to guard the crossing over Sunbeam river, and to provide passage over it for the faithful. And so he ordered the building of Havel's fortress. For a thousand years, pilgrims from all lands west of Balder journeyed to Lordran by means of this fortress._

_Elite knight Viria, your orders are as follows:_

_1) To seize control of Havel's fortress, and to make camp within its walls._

_2) To prevent any enemies (undead or otherwise) to capture or destroy the fortress._

_3) To allow safe passage to all travellers from Astora, Thorolund or Catarina who wishes to cross the river into Lordran._

_4) To arrest any travellers deemed an enemy of the Church, or an enemy of the Gods._

_These are your orders. Follow them in the name of the Gods, until such time you are ordered otherwise._

_May the sunlight guide you._

**General Rusq**

* * *

" There you have it. The reason we are all here."

The woman, dressed in the finest armor money could buy, put down the letter and placed in on the round stone table. A single candle illuminated the group of six people who were seated around it. The letter was picked up by the large, bearded man in chain mail armor who sat on the opposite side. His eyes darted across the page and then with a raised eyebrow, looked back at Viria.

"Is he bloody joking?" he said. Viria sighed.

"Are you doubting the authenticity of my orders?" she asked.

"Oh no" he responded. "Im doubting the sanity of your superior!"

"General Rusq" began the slender woman on his left "is extremely high regarded in Thorolund. He has deep connections with the church, and they have the highest faith in him. To question his orders, and thereby the church, could be considered...foolish. It could, one might say, even be considered treason. Are you a traitor Bern?"

Although the face of Elion showed no expression, her voice was filled with amusement. Bern however, seemed unamused.

"How DARE you!" he bellowed. "I did NOT join the army to have my loyalty insulted by a common thief!" He looked at Viria, and said, in a calmer voice: "I'm just saying that this task was given to Havel centuries ago. There are no Gods left in Anor Londo, and I doubt They care what happens to this fortress. It no longer has any strategic value. This whole thing just... It seems like a waste of our time."

"To you perhaps" said the knight seated right to Viria. " But this is no less a holy mission. Havel's fortress have been guarded by the faithful for hundreds of years. I consider it an honor to continue such a noble legacy."

Viria smiled. "Thank you Klerno." She turned to Bern. "I understand your frustration Bern. I doubt guard duty was what you had in mind when you joined my command. Still, guarding this fortress is what we have been ordered to do, and guard it we shall. If anyone else have a problem with our situation, I'd prefer if they spoke now. Derius!" she turned to the man dressed in simple robes on her left. "You have been awfully silent! Do you have anything to say?"

The cleric named Derius looked up, apparently surprised he had been spoken to. "Me? My Lady, I very much agree with knight Klerno. This is a holy mission! To abandon it would be to betray the memory of Havel the rock, and the very Gods we serve! Berns concerns actually remind me of a passage in The book of Urdas. May I? Hrm."

And Fina departed from the chamber.

And the soul of Urdas was filled with sorrow, for he thought himself abandoned.

But after a time he was filled with great joy, for even thought the Goddess had escaped his sight, She had not escaped his heart.

And Her power filled his soul, and he knew Her eyes would always be upon him.

Such is the nature of the Gods.

"Thank you Derius. Very inspirational." Viria said.

Derius nodded. "I hoped it would be".

Bern rolled his eyes, but remained silent. Elion turned to him. "And how do your pet feel about this mission of ours? It seems rather upset by the change of scenery."

Berns eyes narrowed, but before he could respond, Viria raised a commanding finger. "Elion! Enough! There is no reason to speak of her as if she were a dog!" Elion gave Viria an apologetic bow. "As you wish, my lady."

Viria stood up. "All right. Unless anyone else has anything to say, I think it is high time we explore this place further. I want every room checked for weapons, I want all entrances closed, and I want all of you to make yourselves comfortable. Rest assured, we will not leave this fortress for a very. long. time.

As their commander left the room, one by one the rest of the company rose. Klerno put on his helmet, and began walking towards the courtyard. Elion made a theatrical gasp, and then silently moved down the stairs to the dorm. Derius made a motion to follow her, but then turned around and followed Klerno instead.

Bern remainded seated. He sighed. His head turned to his right. "And what do you think, Gwy? What are your opinions about this Great Holy Quest?"

The read-haired woman did not respond, nor did she acknowledge that she had been spoken to. She simply sat on her chair, eyes staring blankly in front of her. Her only motion was a slight shudder.

"Cold huh? Well, Im sure there is a fireplace here somewhere. Even cleric knights need to eat, right? Come on girl. Let us find a place to warm ourselves."

The large man rose from his seat, and left the room. The woman remained motionless for some time, but then rose and followed him. The candle burned for another minute, its flame slightly illuminating the empty council chamber. But eventually its flame faded. And all that remainded was darkness.


	2. Viria's journal, first week

Day 1.

Today, I (elite knight Viria) and my subordinates (knight Klerno, cleric Derius, private Bern, mercenary Elion, and private Greta) arrived at Havel's fortress. The drawbridge was down, but the main gate was locked as expected. Elion managed to climb the wall and unlock it from the inside. We briefly examined the accessible parts of the fortress, and could find no sign of any recent activity by anything other than rats and birds. We then gathered in what I assume is the council chamber, and I read the sealed orders given to me by general Rusq as ordered. The response to our mission was mostly positive, with the exception from private Bern, who expressed doubt about, among other things, the strategic importance of the fortress. Still, I have confidence he will remain loyal to me and The Way of White.

I'm afraid exploring the fortress will take several days. Not only is it larger than I expected, many of the doors are also locked. Understanding the layout of this place should be a top priority.

Day 2.

While the rest of my group rested from months of travelling, I took a careful walk outside the walls to get a better understanding of the fortress and its surroundings. When I returned, I had Derius draw a simple map.

Sunbeam river is as mighty as the name suggests. It is many tens of steps broad, and acts as a natura border to the outskirts of western Lordran. Any traveller who wishes to find another way over the river will have to walk for many months. I've heard the nearest bridge lies as far as Astora, but can not say for certain. We certainly saw no bridges on our way here.

The fortress sits on Lordran's side of the river, with a drawbridge connecting it to she other side. Even though the fortress was built near the thinnest part of the river, it is still broad enough to prevent any trespassers from the opposite shore to access the walls. I wonder what we would have done if it had been up when we came here. Drown, perhaps. I've heard the current is very strong, although it certainly does not look like it.

The gate not facing the river is large and awe-inspiring, but it is old and I fear that anything stronger than a bull could shatter it. And from what I've heard of Lordran, many things here are far stronger than that. I better make this side the most guarded.

Most of the land surrounding the river is forest, but far in the distance, one can see the great walls of Lordran. Layer after layer of walls, higher than any building I have ever seen. It is truly magnificent, the craftmanship of Gods. If the walls alone fill me with such awe, how glorious must not Anor Londo look like?

Day 3.

Everyone have established permanent sleeping quarters. I sleep in the tower, as it seems to have been used by the previous commander of Havel's fortress. Bern, Greta ,Elion and Klerno sleeps in the dorm. Derius refused to share sleeping quarters with women, but we found a temple in the basement, and he instantly claimed it as his room.

I ordered Bern to explore the fortress further, while Greta was sent across the river to hunt. Elion and Klerno were tasked with patrolling the walls. Derius remainded in his room most of the day (meditating no doubt). I continued to explore the fortress. I found a large painting depicting bishop Havel and his knights slaying an everlasting dragon in a storage room, and had Derius move it to the council chamber. Hopefully it will serve as an inspiration in the future.

Bern claims to have found the armory, but the door is locked. I don't think breaking it will be necesary. There must be a key around here somewere.

We dined in the council chamber. Greta might be mute, but she is a skilled hunter. Derius and Bern will patrol the walls tonight. Elion and Klerno reported nothing except a pack of stray dogs. I hope the inactivity around here lasts, at least until we have fortified the place a bit.

Day 4.

No activity during the night, but at lunchtime everyone was called to the wall facing Lordran. Elion had spotted a group of Hollows. There was twelve of them, all practicly naked, and they did not appear to take any notice of us. Even so, Derius and Bern argued over whether or not we should attack them. Eventually I decided it to be a waste of arrows, despite Deriuses protests.

We found a few keys in the eastern tower. One of the keys led to the armory, which turned out to have plenty of crossbows,arrows, bolts and throwing knives. This discovery significantly strengthens our defensive capabilities. We must nonetheless save our ammunition. We can't risk loosing arrows on every undead we see. I fear Derius believes me to betray our mission, but I am simply being pragmatic. There is no point in shooting creatures that poses no threat to us. He will be glad we saved arrows, should we encounter any hollow soldiers, or archers.

Day 5.

Derius found a chest behind one of the statues in the temple. It was filled with talismans of Allfather Loyd. Everyone of us should equip a few of these, they could become quite useful in case of an undead assault.

Klerno explored the basement today. A door we first thought led to a food cellar actually turned out to be the door to a prison cell. I'm not sure how much use we will have for it. Still, it feels good to have somewhere to contain enemies of the church, if the opportunity comes.

Day 6.

Because of the lack of any travellers so far, I have decided to pull the drawbridge up. This makes us able to keep more watch over Lordran's side of Sunbeam river, were we are more vulnerable to potential attacks.

It has occurred to me that any travellers wishing to cross the river will be unable to effectively gain our attention, unless anyone is there to see or hear them. At least one of us should be watching the drawbridge at all times. I also ordered torches to be lit on the walls, making the fortress more visible at night.

Day 7.

A large group made out of fourteen Hollows were encountered today. They were moving towards the fortress, and six of them were armed with crossbows. Greta and Elion were guarding the walls at the time. Elion alerted the rest of us, and Greta managed to shoot down three crossbowmen before they came close enough to return fire. Greta was hit by a bolt in the shoulder, and was pulled inside by Derius, while Klerno and myself formed a shield wall to protect Bern and Elion, who engaged the hollows in ranged combat. The remaining Hollow crossbowmen were shot down without effort. The other hollows did not attempt to break down the gate, nor did they show any intention of fleeing. "Killing" them took some time, due to their repeated use of Estus flasks, but by concentrating fire at one at the time we defeated them, without having to resort to using any talismans.

Derius managed to heal Greta, but her shoulder still aches, judging from her occasional grunts of pain.

I sent Bern and Klerno outside to scavenge the hollows for ammunition and any useful weapons. They returned with most of the arrows we fired, but many of them were broken and for now unusable. A woodcutter axe and a spear was also taken. When night came, the bodies of the hollows vanished including the armor they wore and the weapons we had not scavenged.

I wonder how long the Hollows wandered before they came across Havel's fortress. When they rise again, will they remember their deaths here, and walk another way? Or will they travel to Havel's fortress for ever, to be slain by us over and over again? Forgive me. I appear to have wasted ink on irrelevant philosophy.

The battle today ended in our favor, and I believe my decision to focus our attention on Lordran was the correct choice.

It is growing late. Tonight's guard duty will be given to Bern and Elion. I hope they will get along.

Vereor Nox


	3. Duties

Bern looked down from the watchtower overlooking Havel's fortress. The crescent moon lit up the forest below him, but only slightly. The lack of light available did not bother him though. He had seen this view at daytime, and it was, in his opinion, not much to look at. Just a forest. Ocassionaly the grass of this particular forest was being trampled by horrifying Hollows. This, in Bern's mind, was quite unusual. He had spent almost a week keeping an eye on this forest from the walls of the fortress, and he had seen no less than twenty-six Hollows, an alarmingly large amount in his opinion. It was a forest in Lordran. This fact as well, made it different from other forests in Bern's mind, since it was the only part of Lordran he had actually been in, even if it only was for a few minutes, of which he had spent the majority searching the bodies of said Hollows. But apart from those things it was just a forest. Trees. Grass. Birds. Trees. Trees. Just a forest.

Bern sighed. No, guard duty was most certainly not what he had expected when he joined the army. He had not expected to be so far from his home either. Sure, a bit of marching was expected. But Lordran? No, this was not what he had in mind when he joined the army. He joined the army of Thorolund for one simple reason: to protect his home.

Bern was a simple man. If anyone were to ask him about his worldview (not that anyone cared about his opinion, a thing he had long ago noticed about the army) he would say that the world was a simple place. It was filled with simple people, and everyone had simple, understandable reasons for doing whatever it is they did. Bern, for example, was born in a family of farmers. So naturally he became a farmer. The life of a farmer was easy enough. As long as the Gods granted them nice weather, they continued sawing and harvesting, harvesting and sawing. Sometimes they sold what they harvested to people, who bought it for the simple reason they were too rich and busy to farm themself. But most of the time, Bern used what he harvested to feed his family. Not a very adventurus life, but a happy life.

Sometimes bad things happened. Mainly in other, distant places, but still. Wars, plagues, assassinations, bandits. The accursed Darksign. Bern and his family had heard of these things, sometimes at the market, sometimes from distant travellers. Children being kidnapped by sorcerers. Kings raising taxes. Bandits burning down villages. People turning undead, undead turning Hollow, Hollows overrunning entire towns. These things worried Bern, but rarely for long. He was simply to busy.

One day, the bad news had been coming from closer than normal. People were running past Bern's farm, running away. The Darksign had touched the neighboring village. Dussins of Hollows were moving towards Bern's farm, towards his home and his family. He did what any man would have done. He hid his family inside, barricaded the doors, and grabbed the only weapon he has: his scythe. He cut down the mindless undead that threatened his home. But bern was no warrior back then, and he soon found himself cornered by the horrible creatures that used to be men. This could have been the end for Bern, but luck smiled upon him. The undead horrors were defeated, not with the rusted blade of an old scythe, but with holy weapons swung by powerful hands, and with the great miracles of the Gods. Three Cleric knights of Allfather Loyd, sent by the church to destroy the abominations, had saved Bern and his family. That day Bern realized what he had to do to protect his home. He asked the knights to join the army, and they welcomed him with open arms. Joining the ranks of Thorolund was easy. A simple oath, a promise to stay true to the Way of White. A covenant with the Gods. And when Bern said he was not a great believer in the Gods, the knights simply smiled. Faith was not necessary for serving the Gods. Loyalty was enough, at least for the low-ranking soldiers. Bern had a new purpose now, but at the same time it was the same as always. Protect your home. Protect your family. Join the army.

Yes, join the army. It seemed like such a good idea at the time. Now however, Bern wondered if standing here really benefitted anyone. Was he really helping anyone at all by being here right now? Was anyone of them actually making a difference in the world?

On the other hand, Bern thought to himself, maybe they did do something good. Perhaps the Hollows yesterday would have crossed the river and killed someone innocent if they had not been banished back to whatever Bonfire spawned them? Perhaps someone important, someone vital to the world, would one day cross this river into Lordran on some Holy mission, thanks to Bern and his companions? Perhaps they would eventually capture some wicked criminal, and thus be making the world better? Bern did not know what outcome, good or bad, their mission would have, but he knew he was not the kind of man who abandoned his commitments. He had made a promise to the army, and to himself, and deep down he knew he would honor his promise. No matter how stupid that seemed at the moment.

Bern once again looked down at the fortress. A dark silhouette was moving on one of the stone walls. The woman who had been assigned for guard duty with him was changing her post. Bern's eyes followed Elion until she disappeared into the darkness. Now there walked someone who had not joined the army to protect anyone but herself. A woman who did not follow her orders out of duty or faith, but because of greed. Of that Bern was certain.

* * *

As Elion's feet silently walked over the stones of Havel's fortress , she felt as she was being watched. She did not look around to confirm this feeling, however. She did not need to. Years as a thief had taught her to trust her intuition and her intellect, and right now they both told her that the watcher could be none other than private Bern. The fact that he was watching her did not bother her much, but his mistrust for her would surely become a problem eventually. When your profession is theft and treachery, people assume that you'll betray them. If her travels had taught her one thing, it was this: no one trusts a thief. And being a foreigner as well rarely improves matters.

Elion was born in Vinheilm, a fact that almost always surprised and confused her various asosiates. Vinheilm was known for magic and knowledge, not for criminals. But there was nothing strange about Elions choice of profession, nor her current employment for the Thorolund army. Just like everything else in the world, once put into perspective, it all made perfect sense.

As the daughter of a common servant, Elion,s father sent his young daughter to live and work at the Vilheilm dragon school as a maid. The servants and maids of the school were expected to perform the menial tasks unfit for the teachers and students, such as dusting, cooking and cleaning. But the life of a common housemaid was boring, and Elion soon developed an interest in the whispers between students, the rivalries between teachers, and the gossip between servants. Her friends told her to mind her own business and to perform the duties appointed to her. But the secrets of the Dragon school were to exiting for the young child to ignore, and she spent increasingly amounts of time eavesdropping and spying. She listened to silent conversations while dusting bookshelves in libraries, she read letters in teachers desks when cleaning their rooms, and she looked trough the keyholes of locked classrooms. Over the months, she learned about secret classes held in hidden rooms, forbidden books about hineus subjects, and of dark deeds ordered by the leadership of the school. And it never occurred to her to use this information. It was all a game to her, a way to pass the time.

But her fun ended abrubtly, as a patroling nightwatch discovered Elion sneaking around a forbidden floor. After the school's interogators learned how she had spent her time as a maid, the young girl became imprisoned. The leaders of Vinheilm accused her father for treason and conspiracy, and disregarded all claims on the contrary by both father and daughter. Elion did not know if her father eventually confessed to the accusations, or if the wise men of vinheilm came up to the conclusion themselves. She only knew that he was imprisoned and that she was released, believed to be a mere pawn. Without a home or money, and avoided by her former friends among the servants, the girl became a beggar on the streets of Vinheilm.

Thinking back at those days, Elion was surprised she had survived the first week on the street. Every day had been a battle to find food. Every night a struggle to find warmth. But she survived, and more. She learned. She learned how to tell the difference between people who might give a her few coins or a bit of food, and people who would kick her. She learned that rats meant food, and that food meant rats. She learned that food vendors were too busy bartering to notice a girl taking an apple or two. She learned were the wealthy had their pouches, and that few people were willing to chase her into the darker alleys. She learned how to observe, hide, steal, and run. She learned...

"Hello?" Elion snapped out of her thoughts. That was not Bern's voice. She crouched down. There were no torches illuminating her. She would prefer to remain unseen until the identity of the caller was known.

"Hello?" the voice called again. "Is anyone there?". It came from across the river. Elion peered into the forest, but saw no one. Doing her best to keep out of sight, she sneaked towards the watchtower. This could very well be a trick of some kind, and she did not feel safe to reveal herself without someone she trusted to back her up. But Bern would have to do.

* * *

"Bern! Bern! Over here!" The whisper caught Bern by surprise, and he flung around to discover Elion, who had just appeared on the top of the stairs leading to the watchtower.

"Hm? Oh, its you. Aren't you supposed to be guarding the river?" Bern asked, clearly unsure of why Elion would sneak up on him like this.

"That is why I'm here" Elion whispered. "I heard someone. A man. Outside."

"Outside?" Bern responded, still confused. "Who?"

"I did not ask, Bern. I thought it unwise to answer, in case it..."

Bern raised a hand. "Wait. There's a traveller on the other side of the river right now? And you did not tell him the fortress is inhabited? By the gods, girl! Are you mad? He's probably looking for shelter. He might have moved on by now!"

Bern ran past Elion down the stairs, out on the courtyard, and up the wall. Elion reluctantly followed.

"Where was it?" Bern asked her.

Elion pointed into the darkness. "That direction" she whispered. "But I think..."

Bern took a deep breath. "HELLO!" he bellowed. Silence.

Elion looked at Bern the way a fisherman looks at a child throwing rocks into the sea. "What are you doing? We can't..."

Bern filled his lungs once again. Elion covered her ears. "HELLOOOO!" For a few seconds nothing was heard, and then, the faint sound of twigs breaking. The shape of a man emerged from the forest. His appearance was hard to see in the faint moonlight, but his heavy breathing could be heard even across the river .

"Oh, thank you!" He panted. "Im...lost. I thought this fortress was... emty. I called... But no one..."

Bern glanced at Elion. "No one answered? Strange."

Elion ignored Bern's stare, and called to the man. "Do not thank us yet, traveller. Who are you? And why are you walking in these parts, far away from civilization? Running from something?".

The man shook his head violently. " No, not at all!. On the contrary... I'm looking for someone. I have been for a long time now. A relative. He was...travelling to Lordran. Have you seen him? I have something that belongs to him. I must give it to him."

Bern shook his head. "We have only been here a week. You are the first human we've encountered. But if it is Lordran you seek, we can help you. Wait over there! We'll lower the drawbridge for you!"

Bern turned away from the forest and stepped down from the wall. Elion ran pass him and blocked his way. " Do you intend to let a stranger into the fortress, a stranger you know nothing about I might add, without consulting your superior?"

Bern looked offended "Of course not! I'll wake her up first. Can't go around breaking chain of command and all that. Better listen to what my commander have to say about the matter first." He began walking towards the eastern tower. Before he opened the door, he turned to Elion. "_Then_ I'll let him in."

* * *

Emin of Thorulund nervously looked at the large stone fortress in front of him. He did not know what frightened him the most, being lost in a vast forest at night, or being at the mercy of strangers.

"They have not shot at me yet" he thought. "Although, they could be bandits, waiting to ambush me inside. Not that I have anything to steal." He looked down at his clothes: the robe and hat of a Thorolund cleric, warm and durable, but hardly valuable. An old mace hung from his belt, along with a talisman. Perhaps he should have mentioned that he was a cleric? "No matter" he thought. "Lets just hope they'll let my stay for the night, and then point me in the right direction."

It seemed like a very long time, but eventually he heard the sound of machinery, and then the great drawbridge lowered itself. Emin briefly wondered if it was wise to walk into what very well could be a bandit-nest, but quickly decided that he it was just as foolish to attempt to continue journeying trough the forest without a clue were to go. He then stepped onto the bridge, and started to move towards the gate. Halfway to it, the gate opened, and a woman holding a torch became visible. Emin felt a chill. She did not exactly raise his confidence. The torch illuminated a woman in a black leather armor. A mask covered her lower face, and knifes and daggers glimmered in her belt. "Perhaps they are bandits after all?" Emin thought.

The woman pulled down her mask. "Come forward" she said.

Emin recognized the voice as the female who had questioned his errand here. As he came close enough for the fire to illuminate him, the woman's face showed the faint signs of surprise. She stepped aside, and gestured towards the gate.

"A cleric? Welcome then."

He entered the fortress.

Four armored warriors greeted him in the courtyard, all holding torches. Two of them wore knight armors, one seemingly more well-made than the other. Beside them stood a woman in common leather armor, and a large bearded man in a chain mail.

"Welcome to Havel's fortress" spoke a female voice from inside the finer armor. "I am Viria of Thorolund. I apologize for the delay. We are not used to travellers. Come, let us continue inside."

Emin's spirit rose. Countrymen! Perhaps he would not die tonight after all.

* * *

"So, what holy mission brings you to this land?" Viria asked. She sat on the chair opposite to Emin's, and Derius sat on her right side. Elion and Bern had been sent back to guard duty, and the remaining two soldiers were back in their dorm. Emin looked nervous, and took a long sip from his cup before answering.

"Well, it is not my mission that is holy, my lady. I left the monastery I live in to look for a relative of mine, who... Well, it's hard to explain." He took another sweep from the cup.

"Yes, your brother" Viria said. "Bern mentioned something about him. Could you please elaborate? Im afraid I can't just send you on your way, without knowing why you wish to enter Lordran."

Emin reached into his satchel, and took out a small bottle, glowing an orange glow. Viria's eyes widened.

"Estus? Are you an undead?"

Emin slowly shook his head. "No my lady. I am afraid it is the one I seek who have been cursed by the heinous sign. My younger brother, he...he changed a few months ago. The head clerics of the monastery ordered him to journey to Lordran. To seek Kindling, he said. I discovered this flask in his room. He must have forgotten it. You must understand. My brother is no warrior. He won't survive without it. It is my responsibility to find him. To aid him in his quest."

Viria nodded. "I understand. You have noble intentions, cleric. We can not help you much, but you may rest here tonight. Derius will take you too his room. Tomorrow you may continue into Lordran."

* * *

"Incredible."

Derius looked up from his scrolls. "Hm? Did you say something?"

Emin sat on his bed on the other side of the room. Or rather, it was Derius bed, but tonight it belonged to Emin. Derius were to sleep in his chair tonight. That was, if he got any sleep at all. He doubted he would be able to close his eyes for long, with all the excitement tonight. A traveller, finally. And a fellow cleric too.

"Not a very bright cleric though." Derius thought. "Travelling to Lordran alone. At night. And with such a difficult mission. Finding a single undead in a land practically overflowing with them. Not to mention that the poor soul could be hollow already. Still, he may succeed, Gods willing."

"I was just thinking out loud" Emin said. "This temple. It is far more spectacular than the monastery I'm used too."

Derius nodded. "Havel himself oversaw the construction of these statues long ago. He was a dedicated follower to most of the Gods, even the lesser known ones."

Emin pointed at the statues of the various deities sculptured into the stone walls. "Flann, Gwyn, Mcloyf. And, uh, who is that?"

Derius raised an eybrow. "Lloyd!"

Emin blushed slightly. "Of course."

"Surely you must recognize the image of the Allfather? His face is on the gold coin!"

Emin's face became even redder. "Forgive me, I, uh, have not been a member of the cloth for long."

Derius returned his attention to his scrolls. "I see. For how long have you been a cleric, then?"

Emin counted on his fingers. "Oh, about half a year I think."

Derius looked up. "And you still embarked on such a riskful journey? Have you learned the art of Miracles?"

Emin smiled. "Yes. Yes I have. I know Heal, of course. And Force, but I have not yet used it in practise. Oh, and my brother taught me Seek Guidance just before he left, but it does not seem to be working for me. Do you know it?"

"I know OF it" Derius responded. "It is taught to those burdened by an Undead Mission. It shows messages from other worlds, other planes of time. It only works within Lordran, though. It is said time flows differently in the Land of Lords."

"Ah. So it could work now then? We are in Lordran after all."

Derius shrugged. "The very edge of it, yes. I guess there's no harm in trying. I would like to see this strange Miracle with my own eyes."

"Very well. Give me a moment."

Emin pulled out his talisman. He got up from the bed and walked to the center of the room. He stepped down on one knee and closed his eyes. His lips began to move, and then, a ripple seemed to emulate from him, and then vanish. Emin rose.

"Just like before. Nothing."

"Look!"

Emin followed Derius gaze. Giant orange glowing letters had appeared on the floor in front of an empty pedestal. Carved in flaming letters, the message read:

**PRAISE THE SUN!**

"It works." Emin whispered. "It actually works. But what does it mean?"

Derius furrowed his brows. "I do not know."

They watched the mysterious message in silence. After a while it faded away, and the two clerics looked at each other. Emin put back his talisman in his pocket.

"Well, I know it works now. Perhaps the miracle will help me on my journey."

"Yes, I pray it will. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

* * *

The company of guardians watched how the young cleric disappeared amongst Lordran's trees. They had advised him to walk towards the great walls in the distance, and then attempt to find some cave leading further into the mountains. None of them knew exactly were the entrance to the Catacombs was, but they all agreed that the way there must be possible by foot, and that it lay far away from Anor Londo.

Bern turned to the others. "Think he'll make it?"

Viria shook her head. "I'm not sure. Others have returned from the catacombs, true. But he is no Undead. If he falls down some dark pit, or if he encounters any Hollows, well..."

"And let's not forget what his goal is" Klerno said. "He does not look for Kindling, a task difficult enough on its own. He tracks someone who seeks it. His brother might be dead ten times over by now."

"That's all assuming he is who he claimed." Elion said. "Personally I think he might have hidden something. His story seemed a bit far-fetched"

"Of course _you_ would think that" Bern muttered. "If it were up to you he'd still be walking around the woods, not knowing that anyone lived here."

"Indeed. Perhaps you too will learn to be cautious one day"

Viria sighed. "Enough, you two. We should all be proud of our work here today. We have assisted a traveller's journey into Lordran, and trough his efforts, an undead mission might be aided. Now, let us not dwell on HIS mission. We still have a long stay ahead of us. The sooner we return to routine, the better."

The company began moving their separate ways. And Bern looked at the forest below and thought that perhaps they did do something good, after all.

* * *

Emin jumped down the slope of the cliffs he had spent an hour climbing. He examined his new surroundings. A chasm stretched out in front of him, the remains of a broken stone bridge crossing it. He looked to his right. It seemed like there was a path leading around the chasm there, but he did not like the look of the stone figures he saw alongside it. He had heard tales of ancient traps rigged long ago by the worshippers of Nito. He looked to his left. The dark hole of a cave-like tunnel. He had no lantern with him, and he would prefer not to blindly feel his way past coffins and fragile skeletons.

"Oh my" he mumbled to himself. "Where to go now? I guess I could just wait here. Perhaps Emon will pass here on his way to the wherever the Rite of Kindling is. Or perhaps he's already found his way there, and is taking some other way back? For all I know he could be back in the monastery already. Oh Gods, I should never have left. I am utterly lost once again, and I doubt anyone will help...me?" He looked down at his talisman. "Hm. Maybe I could..."

Emin kneeled, and began to mumble the prayer of the Seek Guidance miracle. Again, golden ripples appeared around him. He rose and searched the ground. To his left, in front of the dark tunnel, an orange text said:

**BE WARY OF A POWERFUL FOE**

Emin began to feel desperate. He was no fighter. If something lured in the darkness in front of him, he would never see it coming. He looked around after another message. In front of him, right on the edge of the chasm, glowed another, its text highly visible in the darkness.

**SAINT AHEAD**

Emin slowly moved towards the very edge, and carefully peeked down. At first he saw only darkness. But then he thought... Did he not see something glowing down there? A white glow far below?

"Saint ahead?" he mumbled.

He had heard the tale of brave Paladin Leeroy, the first to seek Kindling so very long ago. He also remembered what Derius had told him, that the laws of time were different here. Perhaps... Perhaps this was a sign, a sign from the long dead hero? A clue to guide him on his quest? The chasm looked deep. Very deep. Could he survive the fall? What awaited him down there if he did?

Emin of Thorolund closed his eyes. He then took a deep breath...and took a step forward.

* * *

**Author Note: Hello dear reader(s?) Adam here! So, there's chapter 3 of my very first fanfiction! Phew! If I'm making some kind of mistake with grammar or such that makes you leave big red handmarks on your forehead, please let me know!**


	4. Warriors

To the an unwise observer, the knight looked like a statue. Dark, impressive, and perfectly immobile, the once great knight stood on the edge of the forest. To call him a mere man once he had been alive would have been to insult him, for even those unable to recognize his distinct steel armor would have to recognize his unhuman size and strength.

The knight was a head higher than the mightiest of humans, and his greatshield alone weighed as much as the heaviest of armors. In his right hand he held a greatsword as long as a man, and to simply lift it from the ground would require the strength of two. If an ordinary mortal were to take his armor for himself, and attempt to wear it, the fool's legs would not carry him another step, without wasting all his strength.

But the weight placed upon the knight had not troubled him in life, and it would not trouble him now. Like so many other knights from once great Berenike, the giant had turned Hollow long ago. And on the edge of sunbeam forest he stood, and although he once had been among the greatest of mortals, his mind now knew nothing except the hunger for souls. And night and day he stood like a statue on the shore of the river.

* * *

Klerno thoughtfully watched the Hollow knight as he sat on the wall of Havels fortress. The Hollow had been spotted several days ago when it slowly marched past the fortress. Lady Viria had ordered everyone to prepare for combat, and rightly so. For this giant of an undead could easily have turned the old gate to splinters with but a swing of his greatsword.

But he had not.

The Hollow walked until it reached the shore of the river, and then it had stopped. Close enough to form a threat, but not close enough to be shot down from the safety of the fortress walls.

And so the group had debated over wether or not they should attack the monster encased in steel, or wait and hope it turned away eventually. And commander Viria had decided that a direct engagement with the Hollow would be too dangerous to attempt, and that precautions should be taken to keep an eye on the creature untill it leaved. Or charged.

And the turn to watch it had now fallen to knight Klerno, and he sat on a wooden chair on the wall facing Lordran, thinking about how sad it was that such legendary knights of old would face such a fate. Indeed the knights of Berenike were remembered even today as the mightiest of mighty, yet their strength had done nothing to slow the curse of the undead that affected their kingdom.

Klerno smiled. He remembered a tale told to him by his father when he was a boy. The tale of the three wanderers and the bridge.

* * *

An Astoran noblewoman, a Pardoner of Velka and a Berenikian knight all seeks to cross a river. An old wodden bridge is th only way across. The knight and the priest recognizes that the bridge is near collapse, and too weak to carry the weight of their armors. So they allow the noble to cross the bridge first. The light woman makes it to the other side, and calls to the pardoner to drop his armor and come across. The pardoner refuses and says, that his armor is a symbol of Velka, and that he can't remove it. So he kneels down and prays, and the Goddess hears him and sends a crow to carry him over the river. The pardoner makes it to the other side, and sends the crow back to aid the knight. But the mighty knight is too heavy for the crow to lift, so the pardoner asks him to drop his shield.

But the knight merely laughs and says: "A true knight does not drop his shield, for a true knight must be ever vigilant. Just as you rely on your talisman for protection, so too must I rely on my shield always."

The pardoner then asks him to drop his sword, so that the crow can lift him.

But the knight scoffs, and says: "Why do you ask me to abandon my sword? This blade is I, and I am my blade. Just as your rapier is a symbol of your goddess, so too is my sword a symbol of my kingdom and my brothers. To leave my sword behind would be to betray all I've ever fought for."

The pardoner tells him to take of his helmet and armor, so the crow can lift him and his sword and his shield to the other side of the river.

But the knight looks at him in disgust, and says: "No greater insult can a true knight endure, than to abandon his helm and his armor. To leave that which makes him respected and feared, the symbol of his loyalty and honor, to be scavenged by thiefs, to be forgotten and hidden amidst the grass, is to leave his knighthood behind for ever. No, pardoner. Just as the helmet you wear shows your dedication to your Goddess, just as it grants you Her protection, just as it shows your status and your duties, so to is the steel I wear a symbol of all I am, and what I will ever be: a true knight, defending all that is right and just."

And the pardoner gives up and walks away from the river. The knight puts one foot on the weak bridge, and it collapses under his weight. But the mighty warrior is not stopped by this. He walks into the river, fully armored, and sinks to the bottom. And then he calmly walks on the bottom of the river, and emerges on the other side unharmed. The woman is amazed, and asks him what divine protection his armor possesses, that enables him to traverse such an obstacle.

The knight says: "I made it to the other side because my body and soul is that of a true knight. A true knight keeps on marching, for nothing is more blasphemous then turning away from a challenge."

* * *

It was a good story, Klerno thought. It had certainly been one of his favourites as a child, but he doubted it would be liked very much by his fellow guardians. Velka's crow seemed far too useless for a servant of a Goddess, and the moral seemed to imply faith was something for the weak. Still, the thought of a Berenikian knight traversing a river underwater was amusing, and actually didn't feel very far fetched to Klerno as he watched the massive figure in the distance. Of all the undead Klerno had seen in his service to Thorolund, this one looked the most threatening. All undead looked threatening, of course. And worse, it seemed they kept the combat skills they had in life. The knight would be a adversary to be reckoned with if provoked. Of that, Klerno was certain.

A movement in the forest revealed a lone Hollow moving past the fortress. Klerno only briefly looked in its direction before returning to his thoughts. A single undead in rags was not worthy of any action on his part, and while such a sight would have worried him a month ago, the many red-eyed undead walking aimlessly in these woods had become a common sight to him now. Most Hollows seemed uninterested in the fortress or its inhabitants, and just moved past it without a glance in it direction.

This Hollow seemed to have been a warrior once, for it wore a cracked helmet, as well as a broken sword and shield. Why it still bothered to grasp these worthless weapons was beyond Klerno's understanding. Klerno smiled for himself. Perhaps this hollow was a true knight, unable to drop his weapons, even in insanity?

If it was insane, that was. Klerno knew the undead were granted some time of relative sanity before turning completely Hollow. Such a terrible fate it must be, the slow decay of ones mind. Insane or not, the undead warrior disappeared into the forest again, and Klerno's eyes turned to the Berenikian once more. It stood as still as before.

They were all men, it occurred to him, the Hollows he'd seen these months. Were men more likely to be cursed as Undead? Or did he just not notice the females among them because of their decaying clothes and hair?

Or maybe few women were skilled enough in battle to even attempt travelling to Lordran in the first place? That seemed more likely. No shortage of battle-able women in here though, he thought. And these women weren't the holy maidens commonly seen in service of the church either, far from it.

There was his commander, the elite knight. Not the most experienced commander he had served under, but she was one of the more competent in Klerno's eyes, and he had never regretted following her orders during his two years under her command.

There was the masked mercenary from Vinheilm. Elion was what she called herself, but Klerno doubted that someone employed in such a shadowy business would use a real name. She was the only one of his companions not part of the Thorolund army. Bought by the church to follow Viria's command, either for gold or as payment for some crime committed, she now marched beside them, not in a knight's armor, but in the black leather of the guilt-ridden thiefs. Elion made no attempts to hide her criminal past, and her skills in the arts of stealth had come quite in handy on some occasions. Klerno saw Elion as a resourceful companion, loyal to the church and to the guardians, a view not shared by private Bern, who had made no effort in hiding his distrust and contempt for the woman.

And then there was the mute woman. Her name was unknown to him, and her origin a mystery. She had not spoken a word since he first met her, and if he had not seen her tounge, Klerno would have thought it to be cut of.

According to Viria (whose words he had found no reason to ever distrust), the woman had been found unconscious on the doorstep of some far-away monastery in Thorolund, her only possessions a broken shield and a wodden stick. Not even clothes to identify her origin had she possessed, although her face was that of an eastern traveller. Apparently she had lived in the monastery for half a decade, always doing what the nuns told her, but never herself speaking a word. As the only battle-able member of the monastery, she was later drafted into the Thorolund army, and eventually she came under Viria's command, were she had proven herself to be an able archer and a loyal soldier.

Klerno's fellow guardians had taken quite different opinions about the mysterious mute. Derion treated her as some kind of servant, politely ordering her around, but never expecting her to have any mind of her own. Elion treated her as something less than a human, always making sure never to speak to her directly, and always refering to her as "it". Bern seemed to have taken quite a liking to the woman, treating her as a friend, and jokingly calling her "Gwy".

"We hear about as much from her as we do from the real Gwyn" had been his explanation. This joke had not been liked by Viria, who then ordered everyone to call the mute Greta, and nothing else.

Klerno himself had taken something of a middle ground between Bern's affection and Elion's open contempt for Greta. She was a strange person to be sure, perhaps even mad, but Viria trusted her. And Klerno trusted Viria. So he would treat Greta as any soldier, unless she gave him reason not to.

* * *

Klerno felt her eyes on the back of his head before he heard her footsteps. _Speak of the Lord's blades,_ he thought, _and their daggers are at your back._

"Hello Greta", he said. "What brings you here? Are you to relieve me?"

She pointed back in the direction she came. He sighed.

"Am... Am I to relieve you?"

She waved her hand in a beckoning gesture.

"Alright then." He rose from his chair. "Show me."

* * *

With fast steps she led him to the wall above the drawbridge, and then she pointed towards the other shore. Klerno shielded his eyes from the sunlight and took a look.

"Greta. Get Viria. Quickly."

A large group of men stood on the shore. A dussin at least, most of them wearing brown cloth clothes, with a shimmer of metal in them. Some wore leather armors. Most held round shields in their left hands, red, with some black symbol on them Klerno could not make out. All were armed. Axes. Scimitars. Firebombs. Clubs. And their owners looked far from happy. A very large and bearded man (Catarinian by the looks of it), with a large axe in his belt, lifted his hands to his mouth, and yelled at the top of his lungs, with a dark voice.

"Oi! Knight!"

"Who goes there? Identify yourselves!"

"Identify ourselves? Who the bloody hell do you think you are? And what are you doing up there?"

"I am knight Klerno of the Thorolund army. Who are you? Do you intend to cross the river? If so, know that this fortress is under Thorolund control. My superior needs to know your business in..."

"Thorolund control? You bastards! That's Thorolund for you!" He turned to his companions. "Always taking whatever they damn please!"

A murmur of agreement was heard from the crowd.

"I assure you our claim to this fortress is completely..."

"Shut it, knight! I want you out, you hear? I want you, and whatever pathetic group of cleric weaklings in there, out! Today! Or things will get ugly."

Greta appeared, at last, with Viria.

"Klerno" she said with a low voice. "What is happening? Who are those people?"

"I don't know. But I have a bad feeling about this."

"Travellers! I am elite knight Viria. I am the commander of this fortress. Who are you? What is your business here?"

The large man lifted his axe, and pointed it to the trio on the wall.

"My business is mine alone, Knight! I am Bagriff the Back-Breaker! Seargent of the Spider Clan! And you. Are in. My. Fortress."

* * *

**Author note:**

**Man, I'm slow! Anyway, here you go. Chapter four. Hope it's good. Or at least as "good" as the previous ones. **


End file.
